Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission: President appoints Commissioners

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed an eight member “Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission” to report interalia on the facts and circumstances which led to the failure of the Ceasefire agreement that came into effect on February 21, 2002 and the sequence of events that followed thereafter upto May 19, 2009.

The Commissioners have been asked to report back to the President within six months from the date of appointment - May 15, 2010.

The Commission has been charged with reporting whether any person, group or institution directly or indirectly bears responsibility in this regard.

It is also charged with reporting on measures to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such concerns in the future and promote further national unity and reconciliation among all communities.

The appointment of the Commission follows Cabinet approval to a memorandum by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The President informed the Cabinet that the Commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation has been influenced in part by the South African experience and the Iraq Inquiry of the UK.

The Commission has been appointed under provision of the Commission of Inquiry Act (Chapter 393).

It has been asked to inquire and report on the following :

i. the facts and circumstances which led to the failure of the Ceasefire Agreement operationalized on February 21, 2002 and the sequence of events that followed thereafter up to May 19, 2009;

ii. whether any person, group, or institution directly or indirectly bear responsibility in this regard;

iii. the lessons we would learn from those events and their attendant concerns, in order to ensure that there will be no recurrence;

iv. the methodology whereby restitution to any person affected by those events or their dependents or to heirs, can be effected;

v. the institutional administrative and legislative measures which need to be taken in order to prevent any recurrence of such concerns in the future, and to promote further national unity and reconciliation among all communities, and to make any such other

recommendations with reference to any of the matters that have been inquired into under the terms of this Warrant.